Dealing with the injury or illness of a loved one is difficult. After getting admitted to the hospital, recovery often requires transitory rehabilitative services to bridge the gap between the hospital and home. Post-acute care is intended to assist patients leaving the hospital who are not yet ready to return to independent living.
Rehabilitative methods including physical and occupational therapy, greatly benefit the long-term wellbeing of patients recovering from traumatic injuries at a post-acute care facility. Proper healing and recovery is necessary to ensure a patient’s strength and ability are regained as much as possible.
Specifically, occupational and physical therapy methods promote a high level of advanced care. When combined, these methods are proven to be more effective in the overall rehabilitation of a patient than when practiced separately. Let’s explore why.
How does physical therapy and occupational therapy help?
Physical and occupational therapy are both meaningful and significant to patient care on an individualized basis.
Here is a quick overview on how they work within a post-acute care setting.
Physical therapy – helps with regaining the ability to move and manage pain after illness or injury. Physical therapy also prevents injuries from getting worse or healing in the “wrong way”. Post-acute care physical therapists help identify each area of limitation and develop a treatment plan. Physical therapy appointments focus on slowly and carefully correcting the physical abilities necessary for full recovery.
Occupational therapy – assists with regaining the ability to perform daily activities and tasks that affect your lifestyle. Within a post-acute care setting, Occupational Therapists create individualized goals for patients. These performance goals are supervised and modified as the patient shows an increased range of motion and less dependency on supportive devices.
Combining Physical and occupational therapy in post-acute care
While physical and occupational therapy by themselves are beneficial for various reasons, when combined, patients are positioned to receive the most comprehensive recovery care possible. Occupational and physical therapies are complementary treatments that together ensure physical limitations are removed and functional movements of everyday life are regained.
Increased Function and Decreased Risk of Rehospitalization
Studies have shown that patients receiving both physical and occupational therapies are set up for higher rates of success in both quality of life and fewer rehospitalizations due to reinjury. Of course, it doesn’t take much research to understand the potential benefits of receiving both forms of quality rehabilitation therapies.
When faced with the decision of either returning directly home after hospitalization or receiving transitional care from a post-acute care environment, patients are better able to function and regain a greater sense of normalcy when given the proper time and attention of combined therapy.
South Coast Post Acute is a Leader in Post Acute Care
The road to recovery doesn’t have to be complicated or risky. There are resources available to help loved ones receive the optimal care strategy necessary. Both occupational and physical therapy methods combined are available at South Coast Post Acute.
At South Coast Post Acute, we are committed to innovative patient care. We focus on effective recovery treatments including physical and occupational therapy. With the help of a team of medical experts, we strive to prevent rehospitalizations while increasing the quality of life for each patient we oversee. Personalized occupational and physical therapy plans are pivotal to our proven methodology.
Contact us today to learn how we can help you or your loved one regain their health.